Once upon a time there was you and me
by littlemissgoth
Summary: In order to keep Jean safe Marco takes Jean away from a life in the Survey Corps


He found during the battle of Trost, he was attacked by a titan lost half his body in the process. While the battle was still raging he began to regenerate, he got up leaving half his body behind him, and he could join the others in the plan now. Marco had wanted to be able to assist the group he came with but because he had never been able to shift he was only allowed to join as to help not draw attention to the group. If one could not shift how could they prove they all could.

Marco followed his part of the plan and exited outside the wall and went to the meeting point, but the other three never turned up. Marco began to practise with his shifting ability, it took a few weeks but he gained a decent amount of control over it in a short time.

Annie turned up eventually and explained to new plan to Marco and told him about Eren. Marco was shocked to say the least. Annie didn't have any news about the only person he cared about though; it was the one thing Marco regretted about his job…Jean. Annie gave Marco some 3D gear and took him out to the forest where they would attack the Survey Corps.

In his hiding spot in high in the trees he could hear Annie being chased by the Survey Corps, he ran through the forest to find her. Marco found Annie trapped by rope, he moved back through the forest as he found part of the elite squad he set of a flare and one of the soldiers moved towards him. Marco sliced him down kill him instantly and leaving him dangling from the tree his gear was currently on. He left the forest and went back to the run down house he had been living in to wait for Annie to come back.

"Well that was a complete success." Annie called out as she entered the house, dropping her gear to the floor and taking a seat on the couch.

"So Eren's still alive I take it."

"Hm."

Annie left that evening to get back to Sina in time for roll call; the two had discussed their plan and sort out what Marco was to do until they managed to capture Eren. Marco was left alone for god knows how long; he wished he still had his best friend.

The Survey Corps had sent out a small team to go and collect the bodies of the fallen as well as retrieve supplies from failed mission and lost caravans. Whilst the team was out they were attacked by a titan but this titan wasn't like other titans who just killed, he was playing with them. He grabbed one person and bit off the limbs one at a time, he got the next one and squeezed until their ribs were heard cracking and he swallowed one whole. The surviving two didn't stay to watch after than they rode back to the walls as fast as they could to report their findings.

At first it was written off as an abnormal that they would have to be careful about, but that opinion was changed fairly quickly any venture outside the walls became a new danger. Not only were they on the lookout for normal titans but they were also on the lookout for a titan intent on killing them in the most gruesome ways possible.

Eventually Erwin decided enough was enough he sent the special operations squad on a mission with the goal being to kill the abnormal titan. The squad didn't have to look hard for the titan it was almost as if it was waiting for them. He took a swing at them but the squad was faster than the others and made a break for the trees, once there they left their horses and got up into the trees. The titan followed them, but didn't attempt to reach them in the trees which surprised the group.

"He's got to be a shifter not an abnormal." Armin announced to the group, Eren raised his hand up to his mouth as if he was going to transform but Levi whacked him on the back of his head.

"Don't be stupid brat." He growled.

Jean was watching the titan from his spot in the trees the titan looked like most others he was at least 12 meters and of normal appearance but had a dusting of freckles on his face. That was an uncommon trait for a titan, Jean didn't think too much of it at the time.

The original plan was to wait in the trees until the titan got bored of waiting for them, but he was still waiting for them hours later. They were going to have to make a break for it, but the chances of all of them getting out of it alive were unlikely. Armin and Levi considered the possibility of using Eren's titan form but decided it wasn't worth the risk this late in the day; the best option would be a fast break.

The group spread out and prepared to run when Levi gave the signal, once he did they were off. The group moved through the trees and broke into the clearing where the titan was waiting. It made a grab for Eren, Jean swung in and knocked him out of the way allowing himself to be caught in the titans hands.

Jean heard someone scream out his name, while he was being crushed by the titan. He was struggling to breathe with the pressure squeezing around his middle, when all of a sudden he was falling. He shot the hooks from his gear and swung into a nearby tree, Jean was crouched on a branch trying to catch his breath. There was a thud next to him and when Jean looked up the Corporal was standing there, he reached down and help Jean get to his feet.

"Where are the others?" Jean rasped out, looking around trying to see where they were. He was praying that the titan hadn't gone after them after dropping him.

"They went on; the titan fell back for some reason. Get up we need to get back before it changes its mind." Levi told him, while dragging the slightly injured cadet out of the tree. The two made a run for it towards the wall and the other squad mates.

They made it back to the wall with no problems the titan didn't want anything to do with them after it caught and released Jean. It was curious but there was little they could do about it at that stage, the mission to kill the titan failed but they were the first squad to survive an encounter with that specific titan.

"What the hell was that?" Reiner growled at Marco

"I missed, I'm sorry but I already said I wasn't hurting Jean." Marco replied calmly

"Now they're getting suspicious"

"They were suspicious before." Bertholt interrupted "It's too late to do anything now, the only thing we can do is either if Jean gets in the way again you kill him."

"No!" Marco hissed

"Or" Bertholt continued "We remove him from combat."

"So he gets into a training accident." Reiner suggested

"Or he goes missing" Marco said

The two other shifter's looked at him with concern.

"Think about it if he's here with me that's one less person to worry about, and it's not like he can run away. Plus I won't be alone anymore."

The other two shifter's were looking at each other, Reiner grabbed Bertholt aside and the two of them talked while Marco imagined his new life with Jean. Would he be happy to see him alive, yes. Would he be happy to be pulled from the fight he was in, unlikely. He most certainly would not be impressed when he heard that Marco was the titan killing the Survey Corps members. Oh well Marco was sure he would grow to love being here with him and once the shifter's were finished their mission Jean would come home with them.

The other two came back and agreed that it would be best not to kill Jean but they couldn't leave him in the Survey Corps either. Marco was getting his wish, now they just had to plan how to remove Jean and bringing him back to Marco's place outside the wall.

Two weeks had pasted since the failed mission beyond the walls and Jean had recovered well, he had some bruised ribs but that wasn't anything new to the medics of the Survey Corps. In that time the 104th had been coming with all sorts of theories about the titan both reasons for why it was hunting Survey Corps and why he released Jean, as well as if they were a shifter who were they. Connie and Sasha were sure it was one of the original members from Levi's squad who was killing them as revenge for their death. Armin was thought it was an abnormal with a still somewhat intact mind killing the only threat it knew. Eren wasn't putting much thought into it, it was just another titan to kill, Jean shared the views of Armin and Eren.

It had been a busy day of training and all Jean wanted to do was sleep, he headed to his room in order to do just that. He got himself ready for bed and crawled under his blankets and buried himself into a tight cacoon. Jean was drifting off to sleep when he heard his door open he didn't think too much off it assuming it was just Eren or Connie and Sasha attempting to prank or scare him in some way.

He became concerned though when something wrapped around his mouth, effectively gagging him and then something around his eyes, blinding him. This was unusual as far as pranks between the 104th went. Jean noticed there was a heavy weight on his back immobilising him whilst someone ties his hands behind his back, great whatever Sasha and Connie planned they got Reiner involved because no one else weighed that much, in that build. He began to struggle and fight but found it pointless. He was swung up and over Reiner's shoulder who began to walk out the room and head off in some direction. As they walked down the corridor Jean became concerned if this was a normal prank usually he would have heard laughing or talking but in this case it was completely silent aside from their footsteps. Either they had picked up their game, or this wasn't a usual prank.

He heard a door swing open and a freezing breeze against his skin as they entered outside into the night. How they were getting past the patrols Jean had no idea because no one stopped to ask what was happening. Whoever had him wasn't following a path so Jean quickly lost track of where he was in land around HQ.

"There you are, you're a little late." Jean's head shot up at the sound of that voice, because it couldn't, it shouldn't. He was dead Jean had seen him, seen his body. Granted no one saw him die but no one should be able to survive a bite like that unless they were. Jean thought trailed off, Marco was a shifter like Eren and Annie, great.

"We had to wait a bit for the patrols to leave, take him and go." Reiner said as he passed Jean to Marco, who wrapped his arms tightly around Jean. He could hear the other pair of footsteps walk of leaving him with his formerly thought deceased friend. He realised Marco was hugging him in an attempt to comfort him, leaning down to whisper in his ear "Sorry about this love."

Jean wasn't given a chance to respond before he found himself losing consciousness, slumping in Marco's arms.

Marco was ecstatic all the way back to his to his home, because he finally had Jean. Once he got out the wall and back to his home he rested Jean in his bed making sure to cover him to protect him from the cold air as well as removing his restraints. He set a fire in the kitchen and began to make something for breakfast, he wasn't concerned about Jean running away because there was nowhere to go and there were titan outside. It would not be a smart move for Jean to make.

He could hear some movements from the bedroom and assumed Jean was waking up from his sleep. He was right, he got to the door and looked in to see Jean sitting up in the bed looking around as if he forgot what had happened last night.

"Jean" Marco called out to the dazed boy, who looked at him with surprise and seemed to remember instantly what had happened to him.

"Why?" Jean asked

"The only other option was to kill you and I already proved I couldn't do that." Marco informed Jean.

"What do you mean" Jean trailed off "YOU, you were that titan that was killing the Survey Corps members."

"Guilty." Marco said as he approached Jean. He reached out and attempted to hold Jean but he reacted violently trying to shake him off and back away from him. He backed into a wall and slumped to the ground shaking, internally questioning how his sweet, kind friend could do this.

"Why?" Jean repeated less harshly and closer to a whisper than anything else. Marco approached and crouched next to his shaking friend.

"Because it was and is my orders." Marco wrapped an arm around Jean's shoulders and brought him close. Jean didn't struggle; instead he turned and rested his head on Marco's shoulder.

"I should explain, shouldn't I?" Marco asked, he received a hm from Jean and took it as a sign to explain. He told him about the village of shifter's about Reiner, Bertholt and Annie, about why they wanted to destroy the walls and anything else he thought was important. Jean didn't agree with the reason why and nor was he happy about begin kept away from combat but he had his best friend back and he got to stay with him. It wasn't all bad Jean decided in the end.

Once Marco had finished his story he stood up and held his hand out to Jean to pull him to his feet, then leading him to the kitchen for some lunch. The two ate in silence while there still was a lot to talk about Jean need time to think over what he had been told earlier that day.

"Marco, if we're outside the wall why aren't the titan's attacking this area?" Jean asked breaking the silence. Marco looked up from his own lunch and responded "You saw Annie turn to crystal?"

"Yeah"

"Each shifter has a power, mine is the other titan's can't sense anyone within a certain radius of me." Marco explained to Jean. "So as long as you stay near me, you won't have to worry about the titans."

Jean nodded and went back to eating, slower than before with concern clear on his face.

"Jean what's wrong?" Marco asked

"What are Reiner and Bertholt's powers?" Jean asked bluntly, he looked at Marco to see a look of shock on his face. "So I'm right then, their shifter's as well."

Marco took a deep breath before answering "There are still some things I can't tell you and that's one, but yes they are shifters."

Jean looked like he wanted to ask more, but when he saw the look Marco was giving him decided not to continue asking.

The two fell into a familiar routine, it was like they back at the training camp but with just the two of them. They did the chores around the house together, Marco cooked dinner while Jean cleaned, Jean was allowed out to go and help look after a small garden outback and they shared a bed once again.

That was probably Jean's favourite part of this whole experience, he felt so lonely in the Survey Corps without his bunkmate. When the weather turned cold he used to be able to turn to Marco and use him as a space heater. He was happy he could do that once more he was catching up on all the sleep had lost the last few months. Marco had missed him it as well, he missed the comforting weight of Jean on his chest. Though they never said it out loud the both of them were the happiest they'd been since the day before graduation.

The last few days had seen a bad storm wreck havoc through the air where they lived, the wind blew through the house in areas, parts of the roof were leaking. Marco was relatively calm all things considered but Jean not so much. Jean always had a bit of a fear of thunder and in some cases lightning, he never knew why but it was what scared Jean when he was small and it just seemed to carry on even as he grew up. He managed through the day without being too terrified but when night fell on the first day, Jean's fear spiked. They finished dinner and were sitting on an old couch Marco flipping through and old book with Jean beside him cuddled against his side. When a large flash outside was followed by a loud rumble, Jean jumped out of his seat and shook violently with fear. It took Marco a few moments to remember his friends fear but once he did he was there beside him in an instant.

"It's okay Jean I'm here." Marco said calmly to his frightened friend moving slowly towards the shaking form. Jean was trying to calm his breathing, but it wasn't working as whenever another flash and rumble coursed through the sky it would start all over again. Jean was so distracted that he didn't notice Marco approaching him and barely noticed when Marco picked him up and carried him up to the bedroom. Marco rested Jean on the bed and wrapped a blanket around him, pulling part of it up to cover the top Jean's head. Marco pulled the curtain across the window to block out as much of the flashes as possible. He took a seat next to Jean and held him close, covering his ears with his hands, in attempt to block out the noise. It seemed to work as shortly after Jean was asleep, he still shook with fear occasionally but for the most part he was calm.

The storm had blown over by the next morning and Marco woke up with a bundle resting on his chest, staring at him.

"Good Morning Jean." Marco said through a yawn, ruffling Jean's hair. Jean nuzzled up into the touch with a content smile on his face, almost purring at the action from Marco.

"Thank you. For last night." Jean said as Marco pulled the two of them out of bed.

"It's fine Jean, if it makes you feel better than I will do it."

"I don't understand why you still care so much." Marco was surprised by Jean's comment.

"Why wouldn't I."

Jean didn't say anything as he hung his head, trying to hide the blush that spread across his face. He thought Marco hadn't seen but he had, Marco placed his hands under Jean's chin and lifted it so he could see his face. Marco lowered his head and placed his lips softly against Jean's , it took a few seconds but he felt some slight pressure against his lips as a response.

"How long?" Jean asked breathlessly against Marco lips as he pulled away slightly.

"Halfway through training. I was going to tell you when we got into the Military Police." Marco responded as he went back in for another kiss, more passionate than the last, but still gentle.

That was how they spent the morning kissing each other, and holding each other making up for the last few months that they could have been doing this if the attack on Trost didn't happen.

Jean was getting ready to go to sleep one evening when he turned and noticed that Marco wasn't, that was a little concerning but he didn't think too much about it. He got into the bed and curled up under the blankets his head resting on a pillow. He felt the mattress move under the pressure of Marco taking a seat on the edge; Marco reached over and ran a hand through Jean's hair and down his face clasping it softly. Jean leaned into the touch humming softly, Marco leant down and kissed him on his forehead, nose, check and finally lips. Before standing up and walking towards the door to leave.

"Where are you going?" Jean asked

"I have something to do sweetheart, I'll be back soon." Marco told him

Jean knew better and left it alone he was pretty sure he knew what Marco was going to do. He knew sleep wasn't going to come easy tonight he pulled the blankets tighter around himself before falling into a fitful sleep.

Jean didn't talk about it the next morning with Marco; he knew better, it concerned him that it didn't seem to affect Marco in any negative way. In fact he seemed oddly proud about the whole thing; Jean left it and continued their relationship as it was before that evening.

Jean had been in the garden one day when he heard Marco call him inside; he picked up the basket with the vegetable for dinner and some fruit to make dessert. Jean entered the house and put the food in the kitchen before searching for Marco. He found him in the front room sitting in an arm chair facing Reiner and Bertholt who were sitting on the couch.

"There you are Jean." Marco said as he patted his lap, Jean took it as an indication that that was where he was supposed to seat. So he did he slide his legs over Marco's lap and rested his head against Marco's shoulder burying his head into his neck, feeling Marco's arms slide around his waist holding him close.

"Why are they here?" Asked in a whisper into Marco's ear, Marco didn't respond he put his hand on the back of Jean's head and pushed it back against his neck. A though occurred to Jean that the only reason Marco had him hear was to know where he was and keep an eye on him.

The three of them began to talk it was about some plan, some attack, really Jean didn't entirely understand. What he picked up on was the fact that Marco was going to be gone for a least a day or so, he wasn't going to like that. The two got up and left an hour or so later, Marco hadn't let Jean move the entire meeting.

"When do you have to go?" Marco looked down at Jean and responded "Next week, it's only for a day love."

Jean made a small upset sound in the back of his throat, Marco stroked Jean's back in a comforting way.

"It's only for a day."

Today was the day Jean wasn't going to be left alone for a few hours or evening but for a day, Marco and Jean had spent the night before making food for Jean's meals for the day. It was early morning when Marco went to get out of bed; his leaving the bed awoke Jean who lay there while he got ready to leave. Before he left he gave Jean a hug and kiss before heading downstairs and out the door, Jean was alone. Thoughts ran through his head, thoughts he hadn't had in the time he was here. It was a chance to escape and head back to the Survey Corps, but that would mean leaving Marco and he couldn't do that he couldn't leave Marco.

Jean spent his day doing pretty much nothing, after midday he began to make something for dinner. The sun was beginning to set when the front door opened and Marco entered the house, he was scratched and covered in bruises but it was nothing that wouldn't heal overnight. Jean almost knocked Marco to the ground when he hugged him; Marco caught him and held him. When Marco was released Jean grabbed his hand and led him to the kitchen where dinner was waiting. Marco didn't seem to want to discuss what had happened, they ate in silence.

Afterwards Jean dragged Marco to the bathroom and helped cleaned up the scratches he had and wrapped up his injuries.

"Thank you Jean." Marco said while Jean was finishing patching him up. Jean looked up and gave him a small smile; the two of them got up and headed to the bedroom.

Jean had been living with Marco for a little over year at this stage, when Marco began to pack something's up. Jean was looking at him confused as to why and what was happening.

"We're moving." Marco said

"Where to?"

"You'll see, but you're going to have to trust me. Okay love?"

Jean nodded and helped Marco pack up a small amount of possessions into some bags, by lunch time they were done.

Marco led him outside and Jean realised what was happening, Marco was going to shift. Once Marco had shifted Jean grabbed the bags before Marco wrapped his hand around Jean and picked him up and settled him on his shoulder. Marco began to walk towards the edge of Wall Maria; he exited the wall and continued across the empty world.

The sun was setting when Marco placed Jean on the ground and shifted back into a human and grabbed some of the bags from Jean to carry, and then grabbed his spare hand to hold.

"Are you going to tell me where going yet?" Jean asked

"My home." Marco replied as they walked over a hill, in the valley below was a city similar to Trost. Marco looked over and just saw Jean staring at the sight below, completely in awe. "Come on Jean, once we get home we can sleep and I can show you around tomorrow."

Jean nodded and followed Marco down the hill and into the valley and onto the path into the town, which was just wrapping up for the day. Marco lead Jean around the town and down a street lined with houses, he went up to one of the houses and opened the door and led Jean inside.

"Oh dear your home already." A woman's voice called out from near the back of the house, Marco didn't respond and wait for the woman to come to the front of the house. She looked shocked when she saw who was standing in the doorway.

"Marco, you're home." She held Marco close, before looking and Jean. "Marco, who is this dear?"

"This is Jean, my boyfriend." Marco told her

"Marco he is adorable, you must be tired come on I've made some dinner and then you can go to sleep."

Marco spent dinner talking with his mother Jean stayed silent and just ate his dinner listening to the family talking. Jean heard Marco's mother mention that his father would be home later, but Marco had said he would see him tomorrow after they'd had sleep.

Once they'd finished dinner Marco dragged Jean upstairs and into a small room, with a large bookcase filled with books, a desk and bed covered with plush blankets. Marco went over to a set of drawers and grabbed out two sets of pj's and threw one set at Jean and the two of them got changed.

"So how do you like our new home?" Marco asked Jean looked at him

"It seems nice."

"It'll take some time to get used to, I know." Marco responded before pulling Jean onto the bed with him and wrapping him up in blankets and holding him close. "Good night dear" Jean pushed himself upwards and pressed a kiss to Marco's lip before cuddling against him and falling asleep.

Jean grew to really love the town Marco grew up in; virtually everyone in the town was a titan shifter. There were a few who weren't and they were pretty much like him, they were originally from within the walls and shifter's had taken a likening to them and brought them home with them. Jean became friends with a few of them; some of their shifter's were friends with Marco so Jean would be able to hang out with them on occasion.

Marco's mother took a shine to Jean she adored him he would spend his days helping her and talking with her. They quickly discovered that they made a good cooking team as she was better at meals and Jean was better at cooking sweets and things. She also had a beautiful garden outback of the house and Jean loved to take care of all the flowers and grow fruit and vegetables, it was calming.

Marco's father was kind older man who was apparently part of the government of the town and was so happy to see his son home. He was even happier when he found out his son had found someone he wanted to be with, it confused Jean because as far as he knew he thought the shifter's hated the humans. But Marco's father explained that it was because of the king's treatment of the shifter's they had no quam with humans only those in charge, he regretted the lives lost for their cause. He enjoyed the fact that Jean made his son happy and was intelligent not like some of the younger shifter's Marco hung out with as kid, excluding Reiner, Bertholt and Annie.

Marco was happy to be home with his family and Jean; he loved to be able to spoil his partner. Marco always could sense that Jean missed his own family back home and his life but Marco could never risk Jean being killed by any other shifter or titan. Jean loved the attention Marco gave him with light kisses across his face and protective hugs. Watch Jean interact with his own family made Marco's heart fill with joy he had hoped they got along, but they were getting along so much better than he thought. He was like a missing piece that had finally been filled.

There were plenty of things the two of them would have liked to have changed and maybe in another life they could have everything they want but for now what they had was almost perfect.


End file.
